Emily King
About Mission Year
Mission Year is a year long urban ministry program focused on Christian service and discipleship. We take teams of young people, place them in an area of need, and help them to serve people and create community. We are committed to the command of Jesus to “love God and love people,” by placing the needs of our neighbors first and developing committed disciples of Christ with a heart for the poor. Learn more about our first year program…
Emily King's Blog
July Newsletter / Jul 24, 03:58 PM
As written on July 15:
Dear friends,
I haven’t really spent much of July so far in Chicago; in fact, I have spent most of the month in Texas with my family and have just returned to finish up the last three weeks of my Mission Year. While at home facing an intense amount of grief and challenge, I realized that things that I have learned in Chicago thus far are still being taught to me when I was home, and that somehow, that experience was really supposed to be a part of my Mission Year.
Starting on June 27th, my family’s life was changed forever. That is when my aunt Kathy Hiebert went to the hospital complaining of stomach pain. She traveled to Houston that night to meet her doctor for surgery to “unkink” her small intestine, which turned into a very severe fight with infection that her body was not equip to battle. After about six days of intense prayer and faith in God for healing, we found out that Kathy had significant brain damage and made the decision to remove her from life support and commit her body to God’s restful arms. My precious aunt Kathy passed away on July 3, at the age of 43, leaving her husband and five children (all under the age of 16) to trust in God for direction for the future.
This year in Chicago’s Little Village, El Valor, “on the mission field” has challenged me in so many different ways. Sometimes I feel like the life I lived before this year was a waste and the complete opposite way of life than Jesus calls us as Christ-followers to live. Sometimes I would feel guilty or just disappointment, which would carry over when I went back home for breaks. I am very disappointed that I felt this way about my home, the place that raised me, and gave me the tools to become the person I am today. I have seen over the past two weeks the most beautiful community of my church family and biological family unite in a time of tragedy and praise God with all of their hearts. I have seen others scoop my family up in God’s love and comfort us with prayers, conversation, housekeeping, and food. God opened my eyes and heart to the intentional community of Nacogdoches, Texas that my family has been a part of for about 50 years. I feel absolutely foolish for judging my community so harshly, and I ask for forgiveness, knowing that God understands that its all part of the process of growing.
One thing that we learned at the beginning of our Mission Year is that we cannot judge the things that happen in others lives, as well as our own, as being good or bad. A saying that my team and I say repeatedly is, “It could be good, it could be bad…who knows?” The point is that we do not have God’s omniscience, and cannot see whether something happening now will truly affect the big picture of our lives positively or negatively. That is what I kept thinking in my head while I was at the hospital, and during the preparation for all that is involved in someone’s passing. Yes, this hurts badly now, but God is in control now, and that is what we cling to. We have no way of knowing how this will all work out in the end, or how it would have worked out if God had miraculously healed Kathy at that time. So we trust in God and that He is good, and works out all things for His good.
I also had my 23rd birthday on the 12th, while I was at home. I was glad to be with family, but my team back in Chicago was throwing me a birthday party that we had been talking about for a couple of weeks. In Mission Year, it is encouraged that you have a cookout and invite all of the significant relationships of your year so that they can meet each other and hopefully get connected. So we decided to turn our cookout into my birthday party, so when I wasn’t able to come back to Chicago for that Saturday, my team threw the party anyway, which was actually pretty funny. Our neighbor George opened his back yard to my team and our friends, complete with pool and an outdoor stereo system, and they partied from 3 pm to 9. They dressed up this huge red frog in one of my t-shirts and put a nametag on it that said, “Emily King”. So, in a way, I was there. From the pictures and the stories, I could tell it was a very good time, I just wish I could have been there with them.
I went back to El Valor today for the first time in two weeks, and was greeted with participants saying, “Happy Birthday, Emily! I missed you!” It never ceases to amaze me that they can remember when my birthday is, and that it is really that important to them personally. I don’t know what next year will be like without seeing their faces everyday. Since Sí Se Puede was over with school, I am helping with the summer club that our church puts on for about 6 weeks in the summer. I will be going with the kids on field trips the last two Fridays of the month. I am really looking forward to all that God has for my team and me over the last two weeks of service here in Chicago.
On a financial support note, as of today, I have lovingly received $ 9,500 out of my $12,000 goal for the year (ending August 5th). If you would like to help me reach that goal before July is over, you can mail check donations, made out to Mission Year with my Account Fund ID# 07-0080 in the memo line, to Mission Year P.O. Box 17628 Atlanta, GA 30316. You can also donate by clicking on the red “Donate Now” button on the right.
I ask that you pray for my team and me that God would provide us the strength to be completely present in our relationships here in our neighborhood over these last few weeks. It is so easy to look into the future, but there is a reason why God made it Mission Year, so we need to be all in. Thank you for your love and faithful support.
Much love,
At home with the family... / Jul 3, 02:12 PM
PRAISE GOD for SO many things…
one…I was able to come back to texas to be with my family during this difficult time…just being present physically has brought so much peace to my heart…
two…my aunt, Kathy, is making baby steps in the right direction…small improvements, we are hoping, will end with a miraculous outcome…
three…I was able to see my aunt several times so far and pray over her body…and talk to her even though she is unconscious…I am so thankful that I have been able to see her!
four…the amazing outpour of love and support from family and friends…people that have been in our lives for a long time and perfect strangers…the family of God has wrapped their arms around my family…and I am so grateful…WE are so grateful!
We are still asking that God would provide peace and continued strength to my family…strength to continue to trust God and peace in knowing His will WILL be done…He is listening to our prayers…and there is still a long road ahead…no matter what happens…
I’m looking at being here for about a week or so…I guess this was suppose to be part of my Mission Year…for what reason…I’m not sure yet…but I am sure that He is good and faithful…
Thank you for your support and prayers!
In His peace-
WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS / Jun 30, 09:42 AM
add another dip in the roller coaster of June…
Friday morning, I got a call from my mother saying that my aunt Kathy had been sent the Houston to a hospital in pretty bad shape with some intestinal problems. She was to have a surgery to “un-kink” her intestines and would be fine…and she was…until Friday evening…she crashed and had to be resuscitated…she was taken to emergency surgery in which they removed a section of her small intestines that was seriously infected…she, as the doctor’s described it, “miraculously survived the operation” and was stable that night. However, Saturday morning, she crashed again…so they placed her on dialysis…and now she is fragile but stable…not conscious…and her organs are still fighting to shut down, but Kathy is fighting back…
this is ripping the hearts of my family, and I am so badly wishing I was there to wait on the Lord with them…to pray with them…to sing praises to the Lord with them…to trust in person with them…but God knows the big picture…and Chicago is praying for my aunt Kathy…
Would you PLEASE pray for God’s mighty hand to be evident and for His complete healing power to be laid upon Kathy’s body? My family and I need you…He is listening…and we need as many voices as are willing to lift up Kathy…pray for peace, trust, and His divine intervention.
Thank you SO much…if you would like to stay updated, my mom has found a place to create a website updater for her…the address is http://caringbridge.org/visit/kathyhiebert
In God’s peace,
Emily and the Hiebert/Pitts/King/Oakes/Burndard family
Comment [1]
and this is June... / Jun 26, 09:47 AM
Dear Friends,
I hope you all enjoyed reading Shawn’s newsletter this month. We are in an amazing place here in Chicago, and I am very thankful he took the time to share about all three Mission Year teams, and our year learning and serving. Shawn’s pretty cool.
I want to put a disclaimer/warning on this blog/newsletter. Newsletters are good for me because they limit how many words I can use to tell you about my month. This is NOT the same with a blog…I have all the room I want. I’ll try not to blabber on, but I really can’t promise anything…
So June…it’s been crazy…a roller coaster of emotion…getting to see my work come together, realizing that I really only have July left to spend with all of these beautiful people, my beliefs being challenged constantly by loved ones back home and loved ones that entered my life when I came to Chicago. I guess the unique thing about Mission Year is that you always expect to be able to get comfortable in your place here, and start getting used to some things, and then you realize you’ve only got a couple of months left. You can never let your guard down or expect to ease into things. You’re here, you’ve got to give it all you have, and there is NO looking back.
The highs of the month have included celebrating the birthday of our beloved Hortencia, our second mother here. She has given us so much food, encouragement, and just genuine love this year, and it was so special to be able to return the favor with a heart-shaped, vanilla/chocolate swirl cake that Areli, her youngest daughter, and I cooked up for her in secret. We sang her happy birthday along with her four children, and watched as tears formed in her eyes. I have discovered that nothing makes my heart happier than watching people feel loved…and Tenci was feeling the love!
Another extremely high point of this month (and in fact, the year) was the opening for PROJECT S.N.A.P. at El Valor on June 6. We were able to hang around 50 pictures taken by our participants with disposable cameras, matted and/or framed. The response was overwhelming! We have about 60 guests come and go throughout the night, and about $1,000 made in profit for our participants! I would be MORE than happy to email anyone some images if you would be interested in purchasing one of these pieces of artwork (emilyelizabethking@gmail.com). The artist will get about $100 for each 11 × 14 photograph and $75 for each 8 X 10. I am so grateful that God lead me to El Valor this year. It has been incredible to be able to use my passions for marketing and creative ability to put on this much needed gallery opening. I pray that gallery openings will be a continuing thing for our participants!
Sarai, Hortencia’s eldest daughter, graduated from high school this month as well! What a joy to be able to celebrate this amazing accomplishment with her family and her! Although we were not able to attend the actual ceremony with her family, I was at her house the whole day helping her get ready for it! She was so excited and looked so beautiful! Sarai and I have been talking about Southern Nazarene University for a couple of months now, and she has applied to attend in the next fall or the spring. I am thankful that I have had the resources to help her get her application requirements together, and the connections to get her better acquainted with the office of admissions. It just goes to show; you never know the gifts God has blessed you with until He opens your eyes to a need!
All of the Mission Year teams were able to meet up in Atlanta for the weekend, June 13-15. We got to hear all that was going on in other cities and how God was using Mission Year to shine light on His hope and love in Philadelphia, Camden, NJ, Wilmington, DE, New Orleans, and Atlanta! Not that I didn’t think God was big enough or gracious enough to provide the other cities amazing experiences like our own in Chicago, it was just hard to believe that all 60 people could have amazing experiences! But I am happy to reassure that God IS that big and gracious! In addition to catching up with everyone, we were given the opportunity to attend several workshops. I attended one on foster care and child abuse, and one on health care for the poor. I really appreciated both of them because the speakers gave us some very practical ways to help our neighbors with these issues. For instance, many children in our neighborhood suffer from unintentional and intentional abuse at home, neglect being the major kind. It seems so daunting-to protect and heal our children, or forgive our children’s parents. But what our workshop leader told us that we ALL can do to help our children is to be consistent. They have homes where they sometimes cannot depend on even basic needs being provided, so a consistency in reactions toward our children’s actions, and saying what we mean can provide stability in their lives. It’s a pretty small thing that can make a HUGE difference!
So, there were hard times this month…mainly because I think I had to seriously realize what my priorities are. This world is constantly competing for my heart, but God and Mission Year are the top priorities as of now. That makes life pretty hard sometimes. God has brought me to this place for obvious reasons, like to learn how to love more like Him and to see His goodness in all, and for some not so obvious reasons that I am sure will surface later on in this year or in my life. All I know is that I am growing, and growing is painful, and that my heart is breaking for my neighbors, and THAT is painful.
Financially, I am at just $25 under $9,000 for the year…which means $3,000 to go! I thank God for such obvious provision! I cannot believe that He has rallied so many of you to give to my year in Chicago! I was at zero dollars when I came to Chicago, and now I am only $3,000 away with a month and a half to go! So, finishing strong is a challenge in reaching my goal of financial support. If you are feeling challenged along with me, and would like to help me reach the end of my year with the full $12,000 raised, you can mail check donations, made out to Mission Year with my Account Fund ID# 07-0080 in the memo line, to Mission Year P.O. BOX 17628 Atlanta, GA 30316. You can also donate by clicking on the red “Donate Now” button on the right.
While we were in Atlanta, we got to visit the King Center, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife are buried, as well as honored by a remarkable visitors’ center and numerous memorials. My walk through the visitor center, or walk through MLK’s life more like, was a changing experience for me. Although I have grown up knowing who this man was, I never truly understood how much MLK lived to overcome, and then how our country has overcome very little since his death 40 years ago. Yes, races mingle now in our public places, but are we equal? I won’t get into it now, since this is my wrapping up paragraph, but I will leave you all, my dear friends, with a quote from the wise Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as I have in an earlier newsletter.
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or the darkness of selfishness. This is the judgment. Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”
God bless and keep in touch
May Newsletter / Jun 11, 04:12 PM
As written on May 21, 2008
Dear Friends,
Have I ever told you that I LOVE Chicago? I love my neighbors. I love my church. I love my roommates. I love Mission Year. I love my service sites. I love this city. And I love sharing it all with you. God continues to be faithful, providing financial support, rest, strength and peace. He reveals Himself in the most unexpected moments, and often leaves me whispering thanks to Him for the most random things. For instance, I had the great privilege to attend, my best friend, Anna’s wedding one weekend. On the flight back to Chicago, I was pretty hungry, but didn’t have time (or money) to grab something from the airport before boarding. The steward came by with each passenger’s two bags of peanuts, and after devouring mine, I asked him if maybe I could get some more. He came back with six packs of peanuts, JUST FOR ME! A miracle, I thought to myself. It’s in the little things that I see God’s providence. That blessing from the steward reminded me of all of the ways God has blessed me, spurring me to a thirty minute “Thank You God for…” session. HE IS GOOD.
Last night was El Valor’s fundraiser banquet, a big fancy affair for people with money to attend, hopefully make a donation and schmooze with other rich people. As a volunteer, I was recruited to help set up before, and clean up afterwards. It was also a great opportunity for the art program to advertise our upcoming event called PROJECT S.N.A.P., which is a gallery displaying pictures taken by our adult participants with a disposable camera provided by us documenting their lives. We had six of these pictures on display for the night, and people could not believe that they were taken with disposable cameras. I really do believe that we will have a good turnout for the gallery opening on June 6. My big début, however, was having my marketing work published for the first time, on postcards, posters and even on the back page of the program! It was a great time to celebrate personal gifts and talent that God has given me, and to see a physical representation of those put into action at El Valor!
Our church/ Sí Se Puede hosted a block party for the kids in our neighborhood at the beginning of the month, as well. My sister, Amy, just happened to be visiting me in Chicago the same weekend, and was able to help out with this amazing ministry experience along side the members of our church and my team! I would dare to say that ALL of my kids from Sí Se Puede were there, and I am so happy that Amy got to meet my “Chicago kids”. Our job was to man the moonwalk, and I am sure it was the best job available. Not only did we laugh so hard that we cried several times from watching the kids enjoying themselves, but we also got a chance to take our shoes off and join in on the fun. I loved introducing Amy as my sister to different people, and getting the comment, “Are you guys twins?” even though we look nothing alike. A definite highlight of the day: a five-foot tall Nacho Libre wrestler piñata. The poor thing lost one appendage after another, until our pastor finished him off with one deadly swing to the torso. I love piñatas.
I would like to take this space in my newsletter to send a HUGE “thanks” to my home church, First Church of the Nazarene in Nacogdoches, Texas, for their incredible gift of support that I was recently presented with when I was home. My church has lovingly supported me with continual prayers and encouragement when I am able to go home from time to time, and this donation was no different. In fact, it has enabled me, along with the help of other faithful supporters’ gifts, to almost catch up to my goal for May. I have $3,400 to go for the rest of the year! If you would like to continue to support me financially, or for the first time, you can mail check donations, made out to Mission Year with my Account Fund ID# 07-0080 in the memo line, to Mission Year P.O. BOX 17628 Atlanta, GA 30316. You can also donate by clicking on the red “Donate Now” button on the right.
I know that many of you have heard many different things on the news about Chicago, and the recent increase in violence. In fact, when I was home for Anna’s wedding, I was asked if I felt safe and was taking care of myself. Our neighbors are people, God’s children. They are suffering, like every human being does from time to time. However, I do believe that suffering is handled differently in the city, especially in Chicago amongst the distinct separation of cultures and races. There is a spiritual battle, as visible as the battle for gang territory. Part of Mission Year, as a program, is to enter into our neighbors’ suffering with them, to be here and feel their pain. Sometimes, that means feeling fear for the lives of those surrounding us, and sometimes that means getting home before dark. My team and I, however, are certain that we are safe, because like my mothers says constantly, “There is no where safer than where God wants you to be.” God is our shield and our rock, and we cherish how He is working in our neighbors’ lives, and are blessed to see how He is softening their hearts towards Him through these hard times. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but a spirit of love, power and self-discipline,” and this is one of many of God’s promises that my team clings to. I ask that you, too, enter into the struggle with us, and pray. Pray for our neighbors and us as vessels of His love.
God bless and keep in touch
